The South African Poultry Association says the recovery process from the H7 and H5 bird flu strains is 'well under way' after its infection rate has peaked. This will come as a huge relief for consumers who have been warned of shortages in not only chicken, but eggs too.

Thanks to the swift action by producers, the poultry industry expects shortages this festive season to be minimal. This was according to Izaak Breitenbach, general manager of the South African Poultry Association's Broiler Organisation.

Breitenbach confirmed that, thus far, 8.5 million chickens had been culled to curb the outbreaks of the H7 and H5 bird flu strains - including slightly more than 2.5 million broiler chickens, and about six million of SA's layer flock.

Breitenbach told Daily Maverick on Tuesday, 31 October that infection rates of the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) outbreak had peaked.

"After very serious initial concerns, the recovery process is well under way. Speculation about huge shortages of chicken this year and into 2024 is, therefore, not based on the facts, and does not take account of recent developments."

Daily Maverick has reported extensively on the avian flu crisis, including the outbreak affecting some six provinces, the egg shortage and the stress poultry farmers feel about the economic costs of their culled chickens.

By 17 October, there had been 96 outbreaks of the flu across the country, the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development confirmed during an update to Parliament in late October....